Caladium plant named ‘LWH OF13-332’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Caladium  plant named ‘LWH OF13-332’, characterized by its intermediate height; mounding plant habit; dense and bushy appearance; vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate; lance-type leaves that are light red to variable shades of pink in color with random green and orange-colored spots with dark bronze red-colored venation and margins; and petioles that are black or black with tannish pink stripes in color.

Botanical designation: Caladium X hortulanum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘LWH OF13-332’.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY INVENTOR/APPLICANT

The Inventor/Applicant asserts that no publications nor advertisements relating to sales, offers for sale or public distribution occurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application. Any information about the claimed plant would have been obtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor. Applicant claims a prior art exception under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to the effective filing date.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Caladium plant, botanically known as Caladium X hortulanum, commercially referred to as a lance leaf-type Caladium and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘LWH OF13-332’.

The objective of the Inventor's breeding program is to create new Caladium plants that have uniform plant habit, exceptional container and garden performance and attractive and unique leaf coloration.

The new Caladium plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in April, 2012 in Avon Park, Fla. of Caladium X hortulanum ‘Florida Sweetheart’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,526, as the female, or seed, parent with Caladium X hortulanum ‘Scarlet Flame’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 25,419, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Caladium plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled outdoor nursery environment in Avon Park, Fla. in September, 2013.

Asexual reproduction of the new Caladium plant by “chipping” the tubers (cutting the tuber into segments with each segment containing an axillary bud and tuber cortical tissue) in a controlled outdoor nursery environment in Zolfo Springs, Fla. since April, 2014 has shown that the unique features of this new Caladium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Caladium have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘LWH OF13-332’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘LWH OF13-332’ as a new and distinct Caladium plant:

-   -   1. Intermediate in height and mounding plant habit; dense and         bushy appearance.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate.     -   3. Lance-type leaves that are light red to variable shades of         pink in color with random green and orange-colored spots with         dark bronze red-colored venation and margins.     -   4. Petioles that are black or black with tannish pink stripes in         color.

Plants of the new Caladium differ primarily from plants of the female parent, ‘Florida Sweetheart’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Florida Sweetheart’ differ in         leaf color as leaves of the new Caladium are light red to         variable shades of pink in color with random green and         orange-colored spots with dark bronze red-colored venation and         margins whereas leaves of ‘Florida Sweetheart’ have dark         pink-colored venation, rose pink-colored interveinal areas with         greenish white-colored margins.     -   2. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Florida Sweetheart’ differ in         leaf petiole color as leaf petioles of the new Caladium are         black or black with tannish pink stripes in color whereas leaf         petioles of ‘Florida Sweetheart’ are tannish pink in color with         darker-colored stripes.

Plants of the new Caladium differ primarily from plants of the male parent, ‘Scarlet Flame’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Caladium are taller than plants of ‘Scarlet         Flame’.     -   2. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Scarlet Flame’ differ in leaf         color as leaves of the new Caladium are light red to variable         shades of pink in color with random green and orange-colored         spots with dark bronze red-colored venation and margins whereas         leaves of ‘Scarlet Flame’ are dark green in color with rose         red-colored venation and pink and rose red-colored spots and         blotches.     -   3. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Scarlet Flame’ differ in leaf         petiole color as leaf petioles of the new Caladium are black or         black with tannish pink stripes in color whereas leaf petioles         of ‘Scarlet Flame’ are tannish green in color with black-colored         streaks.

Plants of the new Caladium can be compared to plants of Caladium X hortulanum ‘Caribbean Coral’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 29,546. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Caladium differ primarily from plants of ‘Caribbean Coral’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Caribbean Coral’ differ in         leaf color as leaves of the new Caladium are light red to         variable shades of pink in color with random green and         orange-colored spots with dark bronze red-colored venation and         margins whereas leaves of ‘Caribbean Coral’ are dark olive green         in color with dark pink-colored venation surrounded with lighter         pink areas and interveinal areas that are pink variably suffused         with green in color with random greenish white and pink-colored         spots.     -   2. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Caribbean Coral’ differ in         leaf petiole color as leaf petioles of the new Caladium are         black or black with tannish pink stripes in color whereas leaf         petioles of ‘Caribbean Coral’ are tannish pink in color tinged         with a brownish green-colored cast.

Plants of the new Caladium can also be compared to plants of Caladium X hortulanum ‘Blushing Bride’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,213. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Caladium differ primarily from plants of ‘Blushing Bride’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Blushing Bride’ differ in         leaf color as leaves of the new Caladium are light red to         variable shades of pink in color with random green and         orange-colored spots with dark bronze red-colored venation and         margins whereas leaves of ‘Blushing Bride’ are greyed purple in         color with dark green-colored margins and whitish-colored         venation tinged with greyed purple.     -   2. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Blushing Bride’ differ in         leaf petiole color as leaf petioles of the new Caladium are         black or black with tannish pink stripes in color whereas leaf         petioles of ‘Blushing Bride’ are tannish pink to tannish green         in color with dark brownish green-colored stippling, streaks and         tessellations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Caladium plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Caladium plant.

The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1) is a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘LWH OF13-332’ in a container and grown in a shade house (tuber de-eyed).

The photograph on the second sheet (FIG. 2) is a comparison view of typical plants of ‘LWH OF13-332’ grown in containers, the plant on the left has not had its tuber de-eyed and the plant on the right has had its tuber de-eyed prior to planting; the photograph on the third sheet (FIG. 3) is side perspective view of the male parent, ‘Scarlet Flame’ (left), ‘LWH OF13-332’ (center) and the female parent, ‘Florida Sweetheart’ (right).

The photograph on the fourth sheet (FIG. 4) is a comparison view of typical potted plants of ‘Blushing Bride’ (left), ‘LWH OF13-332’ (center) and ‘Caribbean Coral’ (right).

The photograph on the fifth sheet (FIG. 5) is a close-up view of typical freshly-harvested tubers with roots and leaf petioles of ‘LWH OF13-332’.

The photograph on the sixth sheet (FIG. 6) is a side perspective view of typical plants of ‘LWH OF13-332’ grown in an open production field.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in 15-cm containers in a polypropylene-covered shade house (30% light reduction) in Avon Park, Fla. and plants grown in ground beds under full sunlight conditions in an outdoor nursery in Crewsville, Fla. The plants were grown under cultural practices typical of commercial shade house and outdoor nursery production. During the production of the shade house-grown plants, day temperatures ranged from about 28° C. to 33° C., night temperatures ranged from about 22° C. to 25° C. and light levels were about 8,000 foot-candles. During the production of the outdoor nursery-grown plants, day temperatures ranged from about 29° C. to 35° C., night temperatures ranged from about 23° C. to 26° C. and light levels ranged from 10,000 to 12,000 foot-candles. Plants grown in the shade house were five weeks old and plants grown in the outdoor nursery were six months old when the photographs and the detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Caladium X hortulanum ‘LWH OF13-332’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Caladium X hortulanum ‘Florida             Sweetheart’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,526.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Caladium X hortulanum ‘Scarlet             Flame’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 25,419. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By “chipping” the tubers.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About seven to ten days at             temperatures about 32° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two to three weeks at             temperatures about 24° C.         -   Tuber description (outdoor nursery-grown             plants).—Appearance: Multi-segmented; individual segments             elliptic in shape. Height: About 3.1 cm. Diameter: About 7.7             cm to 10.1 cm. Segment height: About 2.3 cm. Segment             diameter: About 3.9 cm. Axillary bud shape: Roughly             triangular. Axillary bud size: About 3.5 mm by 4 mm.             Texture: Thick, starchy; somewhat brittle. Color: Periderm,             freshly-harvested: Close to 199A and 199B. Periderm, dried:             Close to 200A to 200B. Epidermis: Initially, close to 158B             becoming closer to 155A with development. Cortical tissue:             Close to 1C and 1D. Axillary buds: Close to 56C and 56D             occasionally tinged with close to N186A. Root description:             Thick, fleshy contractile roots with few lateral branches;             color, close to N155D. Rooting habit: Medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial; suitable as a potted plant             in containers 15-cm to 25-cm and suitable as a landscape             plant in shaded areas.         -   Plant and growth habit.—Intermediate in height, upright and             mounding plant habit; dense and bushy appearance; vigorous             growth habit and rapid growth rate; potted plants finish in             saleable form in about four to five weeks after planting             tubers; leaf petioles and leaves arise from one or more             growing points on tubers; leaf petioles initially upright             and leaning outwardly with development.         -   Plant height, from soil level to top of foliar plane, shade             house-grown potted plants, tubers de-eyed.—About 37 cm to 39             cm.         -   Plant height, from soil level to top of foliar plane, shade             house-grown potted plants, tubers not de-eyed.—About 47.5 cm             to 51 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread, shade house-grown potted plants,             tubers de-eyed.—About 36 cm to 43 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread, shade house-grown potted plants,             tubers not de-eyed.—About 56 cm.         -   Number of shoots per plant, shade house-grown potted plants,             tubers de-eyed.—About 10 to 13 develop per #1 tuber.         -   Number of shoots per plant, shade house-grown potted plants,             tubers not de-eyed.—About two to three develop per #1 tuber.         -   Cataphylls, shade house-grown potted plants.—Length: About 6             cm to 8 cm. Width: About 1.4 cm. Shape: Elliptic to linear.             Apex: Acute, emarginate, variable. Base: Sheathing the stem.             Color: Outer surface: Close to 177D densely streaked and             stippled with close to N199A and N200A; color becoming             closer to 200A to 200B with development. Inner surface:             Close to N155B; colors and patterns on outer surface visible             on inner surface. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement and type.—Alternate; simple; lance-type.         -   Length, shade house-grown potted plants, tubers             de-eyed.—About 16.5 cm to 17 cm.         -   Length, shade house-grown potted plants, tubers not             de-eyed.—About 18.2 cm to 26 cm.         -   Width, shade house-grown potted plants, tubers             de-eyed.—About 10.5 cm to 14.5 cm; when flattened, about             11.5 cm to 16 cm.         -   Width, shade house-grown potted plants, tubers not             de-eyed.—About 12 cm to 16 cm; when flattened, about 13 cm             to 18 cm.         -   Shape.—Broadly ovate.         -   Apex.—Acuminate, cuspidate.         -   Base.—Sagittate-peltate, cordate.         -   Margin.—Entire; somewhat wavy with broad undulations.         -   Texture and luster, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous;             leathery; dull sheen.         -   Texture and luster, lower surface.—Smooth, glabrous;             glaucous; dull sheen.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate and palmate.         -   Color, shade house-grown potted plants.—Fully developed             leaves, upper surface: Background (interveinal areas) color:             Close to 50A, 50B, 51B, 62C, 62D, 147A, and 147A flushed             with close to 178A; random spots, close to 147A, 48B and             49A. Margins: Close to 183A and N186C with random flecks,             close to 184A and 184B; leaf edge, close to 48A. Basal             notch: Close to 187C. Midvein and primary venation: Close to             183B and N186C. Secondary venation: Close to 147A and 183A.             Fully developed leaves, lower surface: Background             (interveinal areas) color: Close to 63B, 63C, 63D, 147B,             196C and close to N155A tinged with close to 62D; random             spots, close to 62D, 63D, 186B and 186D. Margins: Close to             191A tinged with close to 194A; random spots, close to 62D,             63D, 186B and 186D; leaf edge, close to 183A. Basal notch:             Close to 187B. Leaf attachment point: Close to N186C.             Midvein: Close to 199B with streaks and markings, close to             N199A and N199B. Primary and secondary venation: Close to             191C, N148C to N148D, 199A and 183A; areas surrounding             venation, close to 196A, 196C and 147B with flecks, close to             183C.         -   Petioles.—Aspect: Initially upright and straight and leaning             outwardly with development; flexible. Length, shade             house-grown potted plants, tubers de-eyed: About 30 cm to             34.5 cm. Length, shade house-grown potted plants, tubers not             de-eyed: About 36 cm to 42.5 cm. Diameter, distally, shade             house-grown potted plants: About 4 mm to 5 mm. Diameter,             proximally, shade house-grown potted plants: About 6 mm to             8 mm. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; slightly             glaucous. Color, shade house-grown potted plants: When             developing and fully developed: Close to 203A tinged with             close to N200A or close to 203B tinged with N200A, striped,             streaked and mottled with close to 164D and N170D; just             below the leaf junction, close to 203A tinged with close to             N200A and streaked with close to 179D. Wing length, shade             house-grown potted plants: About 6.8 cm to 10.8 cm. Wing             diameter, shade house-grown potted plants: About 8 mm to             11 mm. Texture and luster, inner surface: Smooth, glabrous;             glossy. Texture and luster, outer surface: Smooth, glabrous;             dull sheen. Wing color, shade house-grown potted plants:             Outer surface: Close to 147A flushed with close to N200A,             marbled and streaked with close to N155B. Inner surface:             Close to N155B; colors and patterns on the outer surface are             visible on the inner surface. -   Inflorescence description: To date, inflorescence development has     not been observed on plants of the new Caladium. -   Pathogen & pest tolerance: Plants of the new Caladium have been     observed to have average tolerance to Pythium Root Rot and above     average tolerance to Xanthomonas Leaf Spot. Plants of the new     Caladium have not been observed to have resistance to pests and     other pathogens common to Caladium plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Caladium have been observed     to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 7° C. to about 40° C.     and are suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 8A to 11. In cooler zones,     tubers can be “lifted” prior to first freeze and stored in a cool     dry environment to overwinter for re-planting the following spring. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Caladium plant named ‘LWH OF13-332’ as illustrated and described. 